Bicycles Unlimited - Bob Bleeds for You-A Tale of Tire Woe 3-27

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Bob Bleeds for You-A Tale of Tire Woe 3-27

Written by Bob Perry

Saturday, 28 March 2009

It rained on Thursday so I planned a road ride for Friday 3-27 at 5:30 from the shop. We had a group of 14 riders that set out from our parking lot and headed up the French King Highway to Adams behind me. I set a pretty mellow pace and I was on the front for half of the climb up the hill but I decided to pull off when some of the group passed me. A small group formed when the faster riders got a gap on Bob Shepherd, Michelle, Chris Koh and me. Our group of four followed the group all the main pack all the way out to RT. 10 where the faster group waited up for us. The pack stayed together for the run over to the Bennett Meadow Bridge but as we climbed the hill to RT. 63 Chris Koh got a flat and 6 riders waited up while Chris, Bob and I made the repair. I was explaining how important it was to inspect the tire for possible debris when I slid my fingers across a razor sharp piece of glass that was poking through the tread. In short order my fingers were bleeding all over Chris’s wheel and tire. I tried to make quick work of repair and soon the group of seven was under way again. We wheeled onto RT 63 and headed south with a pretty good tailwind. The group was working pretty well as we made our way over the hills that lead into Millers Falls but Chris was feeling the effects of not riding much over the last season and he fell off the pace a couple of times. When we got to Millers Falls we decided to head back via Millers Falls Road in Montague. This was good for me as I was starting to get tired. I climbed the hill out of Millers Falls with John and Gary and when I got to the top of the hill I told those two to continue and that I would wait for the rest of the group. When Chris, Michelle and Bob caught up to me Gary and John were several hundred yards ahead of us. I set a good pace for our group and switched off with Bob when I got tired of being on the front. Bob and I did this several times (me going from the back to the front and then back again) and pretty soon we had narrowed the gap. After passing the airport I was on the front when Chris went flying up the outside of the line and pulled the group to within a few yards of Gary and John. I then finished the catch and the group was back together again. We rode down the Third Street Hill together and after crossing the river we climbed Esleeck Hill. I slowed way down and rode at 10 mph up the hill. Chris was right behind me when I got to the top so we rode back to the shop together. It was a good ride and we finished with an 18 mph average for the 26 miles

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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 02 December 2009 )

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